Burner



BURNER Filed July 9, 1932 3'Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR CORT/(f l-l. HALL Y FfifDf/F/[K L. H/LDfR ATTORNEIY Oct. 18, 1938. c. H. HALL ET AL BURNER Filed July 9, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR (WET/(f H. HALL ATTORN EY Oct. 18, 1938. c; H HALL AL 2,133,447

BURNER Filed July 9, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 52 (GRT/[f H. HA L ATTORN EY Patented Oct. 18, 1938 BURNER Cortice H. Hall, Glen Rock, and Frederick Lee Hilder, Clifton, N. J.', assignors, by mesne assigmnents, to Electric Furnace-Man, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 9, 1932, Serial No. 621,625

In Great Britain April 16, 1932 18 Claims.

This invention relates to burners for solid fuel and more particularly to an improvement in the construction of the burner disclosed in application Serial Number 501,481, filed December 11,

1930 by Cortice H. Hall, patented March 10,

In describing the invention, reference will be made to the drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through the middle of the burner.

Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section along the line 22 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is an end view of the burner taken from the left side of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l.

The burner, which is of the underfeed type and similar to that described in the Hall et al. Patent 1,675,548 and that described in'the above mentioned application, is used in conjunction with a fuel hopper outside of the furnace (not shown) from which the solid fuel is conveyed to the lower portion of the fire pot by an intermittently or continuously rotating shaft l0 within the fuel conduit II, which conduit communicates with the elbow I2 at the base of the fire $5 pot, or the fuel may be conveyed to the base of the burner or fire pot by other suitable means. The elbow |2 may be provided with a ledge l3 to receive the lower end of the burnerplate I4 and inwardly extending lugs IS on opposite sides ofthe upperrim of the elbow I2 may contact with similarly placed lugs I6 on the burner plate M to hold the latter in place.

The lower portion of the fire pot is surrounded by a casing l1 and the upper plate l8 of the fire g5 pot is suspended from a continuous frame or casing l9 having a ring 20 which extends inwardly from the frame'and rests upon the annular surface 2| of the casing I'I, thus providing a continuous seal between the stationary and o movable sections of the casing. The casing I! may communicate with a blower (not shown) through a conduit I sa, surrounding the fuel conduit II, and the upper and lower plates of the fire pot are provided with numerous holes, 45 a few-of which-have been illustrated at 20a, to supply air to the burningfuel.

The upper portion l8 ofthe burner and] the frame |9 are rotated by means of gearing, out: side of the casing" ILconnected with the shaft 50 II which extends through the elbow I2 and the casing I'I' and is supported in' the bearing 2|a through a collar 2|b which has a'squa'red' hole- 2|c adapted to receive the squared end 2'ld of r the "shaft III. A bevel gear 23 is keyed to-'-the=' 3 collar 2"), which gear meshes with a bevel gear 24, fixed to the vertical shaft 25. The latter shaft is supported in suitable bearings 26 and 21 carried by the frame 28, which frame also carries the bearing 2 la and has a portion projecting into the casing around the collar 2|b to sup- 5 Po t the latter. A. gear 29, fixed to the upper end of the shaft 25, meshes with a ring gear 30 which is integral with or fixed to the frame IS. The end 2|d of the shaft l0 floats in the squared hole 2|c in the collar Zlb so that the shaft [0 10 may be withdrawn when necessary without disturbing the mechanism for driving the rotary grate and dust remover.

The bottom of the casing I1 is provided with an outlet for the fines and dust which accumu- 5 late therein. For this purpose a cylindrical housing is provided at the bottom of the casing H, as illustrated more clearly in Figures 1 and 4. This cylindrical housing is provided with openings 3|, 3|, communicating with the interior of 20 the casing l1, and with an opening 32 in the bottom of the housing communicating with the exterior of the casing. A rotary valve 33 is positioned within this cylinder. This valve is provided with vanes 34 which contact with the in- 26 her surface of the cylindrical housing and which form pockets 35 between the points of contact.

The Valve 33 is rotated by the shaft 36 having an angular or squared projection 31 extending into an angular or squared hole 38 in the 30 valve 33. This shaft is driven through a gear 39 which meshes with a gear 40 keyed to the collar 2|b which is rotated by the fuel conveyor shaft l0. g

The frame I9 is centered on the bearing ring 35 2| by three rollers 4| which idle upon vertical fixed studs 42 extending between the projections 43 in the casing l'l. Clips 44 may be positioned at suitable points around the casing to prevent vertical displacement of the upper frame 19. 40 These clips maybe screwed to thecasing H and bent at their ends to provide lugs projecting into the groove 45 extending around the upper-frame or casing l9. i Q

The burner plate l8 maybe made up of a plu- I 4,5 rality of sections fastened to each other and I may be fixed to the frame I9 by means of screws 46 passing through the pate IBandintojlugsv 41 v projecting from the inner surface of the casing I9. For example, one or more sets-of screwsgo and lugs may be provided for each section of" the burner plate. The diameter of the burner may be increased, if desiredjby adding one or more rings 48, whichextend around the periphcry of the frame I! and are supported from it by the projections 49 fitting in depressions in the rim of the frame l9.

In operating the improved burner, coal is fed through the conduit by the rotation of the feed screw with the shaft [0. This fuel is forced upwardly and burned in the fire pot, air being supplied through the openings 20a in the burner plates I4 and I8 and the ashes being discharged over the rim of the frame I9 to fall into an ash pit or ash remover (not shown). The upper portion of the fire pot is rotated by the gearing connected to the shaft l0 and serves to gently or moderately agitate the edges of the fuel bed and avoids the formation of cracks in the fire bed through which the air will by-pass. In this way it insures the complete combustion of the fuel 'and inhibits the formation of large masses of clinkers in the'fire bed. This fire pot with a rotating riin also prevents the bridging of ashes or clinker between the rim of the burner and the edge of the furnace, since by the rotation of the rim. the large pieces of ash or clinker will be scraped off by the Wall of the furnace and will fall between the furnace wall and the burner rim.

With this arrangement the lower portion of the fuel bed moves slowly upwardly and the upper portion is given a gentle rotary motion relative to the lower portion, which reduces the formation of clinker.

Any dust or coal particles that settle in the bottom of the casing I! will fall or be blown through the openings 3| into the pockets 35 in the valve 33 and by the intermittent or continuous rotation of the valve they will be discharged through the opening 32. Since with the arrangement shown, at least one vane is at all times in contact with the surface of the cylindrical casing at each side of ,the discharge opening 32, the outlet will at all times be sealed and the pres sure within the casings l1 and IE! will be retained.

The sliding contact ofthe bearing surfaces of the rings 20 and 2| give a continuous contact of sufficient width to prevent leakage of the air at this point of contact between the stationary and rotating sections of the casing, which completely surround the burner plates. It also provides a substantial bearing for the upper section of the burner.

The rollers I keep the upper portion of the burner accurately in place and take up any uneven forces due to the force of the drive gear 29.

With the arrangement shown, the gearing for driving the upper portion of the burner and the rotating valve is outside of the casing, where it is protected from the direct heat of the burning' fuel.

The lug It has a slightly tapered upper surface and is positioned with relation to the lug is so that any rotary forces due'to the rotation of the casing 19 and/or the friction of the fuel particles will increase the clamping action and so assure the retention of the burner plate I against .any lifting forces.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been described, it is not intended to thereby limit it to the particular construction shown, it being apparent that the invention'may be used in other forms. For example, the source of power for the rotary grate section and the rotary valve may be other than the fuel conveyor shaft.

The terms used in describing the invention have been used in their descriptive sense and not as words of limitation and it is intended that all equivalents of the terms used be included within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. An underfeed burner comprising a lower stationary burner plate, an upper rotatable burner plate, a stationary casing surrounding the lower portion of said burner and a rotatable casing surrounding and carrying the upper burner plate and providing a bearing surface, said plates and casings forming an air chamber therebetween, and a surface on said stationary casing constructed and arranged to contact with said bearing surface to serve as the sole support for said rotatable casing and provide a continuous sliding contact air seal between said surfaces.

2. A burner of the type defined in claim 1 in which the upper section of the burner is driven by a gear at the outside of the casing and bearing surfaces are provided within the casing for preventing lateral displacement thereof.

3. A burner of the type described, comprising a rotatable upper burner section carried by a rotatable casing, a throat plate and a lower stationary burner section locked to said throat plate to prevent upward or rotary movement thereof, a stationary casing cooperating with said rotatable casing to enclose the burner and means for sealing the space between the rotatable and the immovable casing sections.

4. A burner as defined in claim 3 in which the locking means comprises a lug on the throat plate and a lug on the burner section positioned so that any rotation of the burner plate with the rotatable section will tighten the contact between the lugs.

5. A burner of the type described, comprising a rotatable apertured burner plate, a casing surrounding said burner plate for supplying air thereto, said'casing having an aperture for discharging material therefrom and providing a cylindrical chamber communicating through spaced openings with the interior of said casing, a rotatable valve in said cylindrical chamber having pockets adapted to carry and discharge material through said. aperture upon rotation of the valve, said valve'being shaped to maintain said aperture closed as the valve rotates, and an actuating means positioned outside of, said casing adapted to rotate said rotatable burner plate and said rotatable valve.

6. A burner of the type described, comprisinga rotatable upper burner section carried by a rotatable casing provided with a substantially horizontal bearing surface, a stationary lower burner section, a stationary casing provided with a single substantially horizontal bearing surface for supporting said rotatable casing and rotatable burner section and constructed and arranged to couperate. with the rotatable casing to enclose the burner, the bearing surface on said stationary casing being in sliding contact with .the bearin bearing supported by said casing and a sleeve surrounding said shaft within and in contactwith said bearing, said sleeve'havifigan angular aperture therein, an angular portion on the extendto I ing portion of said shaft positioned in said angular aperture to rotate said sleeve with said shaft, a frame attached to said casing having a portion surrounding and carrying said bearing and sleeve and another portion sealing the aperture in said burner casing, said frame having arms supporting said burner plate rotating means, and means carried by said sleeve for actuating said burner plate rotating means.

8. A burner of the type described, comprising a rotatable apertured burner plate, means for rotating said plate, a casing surrounding said burner plate and forming an air chamber therewith, a shaft carrying a worm constructed and arranged to supply fuel to the burner upon rotation of the shaft, said shaft having a portion extending through an aperture in said casing, a bearing supported by said casing and a sleeve surrounding said shaft within and in contact with said bearing, said sleeve having an angular aperture therein, an angular portion on the extending portion of said shaft in said angular aperture to rotate said sleeve with said shaft, and means carried by said sleeve for actuating said burner plate rotating means.

' 9. A burner as defined in claim 8 including a valve in said casing for discharging material therefrom and means carried by said sleeve for actuating said valve.

10. A burner in accordance with claim *6 in which the rotatable casing has substantially vertical gear teeth thereto.

- maintain'said aperture closed as the valve rotates, and an: actuating means-adapted to rotate said rotatable burner plate and said rotatable valve.

12'. In an underfeed stoker, a rotary member comprising a retort and a wall surrounding said retort to form an air chamber therebetween, 0.

lower stationary casing member, said wall and said casing member having coaeting fiat annular bearing surfaces forming the sole support for the rotary member. and an air seal between said rotary and stationary members.

13. Stoker apparatus comprising a rotary member, a stationary casing member having a flat bearing surface, a retort within and supported by said rotary member and arranged to form an air chamber therebetween, said rotary member having a fiat bearing surface arranged to cooperate with the bearing surface of said casing member for supporting said rotary member and retort so that substantially all of the weight of said member and retort is employed to prevent escape of air from said chamber.

14. In an underfeed stoker, a rotary member said casing member having coacting fiat annularbearing surfaces forming the sole support for the rotary member and forming an air seal between said rotary and stationary members, and means for applying force to rotate said rotary member without tending to break said air seal.

15. In an underfeed stoker, a rotary member comprising a retort and a wall surrounding said retort to form an air chamber therebetween, a lower stationary casing member, said wall and said casing member having coacting flat annular bearing surfaces forming the sole support for the rotary member and forming an air seal between said rotary and stationary members, and means for applying force to rotate said rotary member,

said means engaging said rotary .member in a line substantially parallel to saidheating surfaces. v r

16. A burner as defined in claim '11 in which the rotatable valve is rotated by the actuating means in step by step continual movement.

17. A stoker as defined in claim 12 having means for rotating the rotary member in step by step continual movement.

18. A stoker as defined in claim 14 in which the means for applying force rotates the rotary member in step by step continual movement.

CORTICE H. HALL.

FREDERICK LEE EILDIR. 

